Manufacturer Mandates

Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviations history. It shares responsibility for the industrys collapse in the 1980s and it wasnt until federal legislation was enacted-the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability-that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

Robert Wright

Monday, October 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

General aviation manufacturers are increasingly implementing stringent training, maintenance, and operational requirements for their aircraft, primarily driven by product liability concerns to enhance safety and mitigate risks.
Multiple successful case studies (Robinson, Mitsubishi, Eclipse, Cirrus) demonstrate that type-specific training programs, often formalized through FAA regulations or manufacturer mandates, significantly reduce accident rates for specific aircraft types.
These effective safety initiatives typically emphasize risk management, specialized pilot instruction, and fostering a proactive safety culture to improve pilot proficiency and operational safety.
Icon Aircraft's controversial, highly restrictive purchase agreement for its A5 model highlights an extreme attempt by a new entrant to heavily control product usage and minimize liability, reflecting the broader industry trend toward manufacturer-imposed safety standards.

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Readers likely are familiar with the role product liability plays in general aviation’s history. It shares responsibility for the industry’s collapse in the 1980s and it wasn’t until federal legislation was enacted—the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which limited manufacturer liability—that some piston-engine airplane production was restarted. Separately, patterns were identified involving accidents of specific aircraft types, and addressing them became another way to minimize the risk of successful liability claims.

So it’s no secret general aviation manufacturers are motivated to prescribe training, maintenance and other requirements involving their products as a way to prevent accidents. It’s worthwhile studying how effective these risk mitigations have been, especially as a new entrant seeks to significantly expand manufacturer-imposed operational requirements on its products.